On stage, band leader Zach Zacata controls the emotions of thousands of fans, but he can't control his middle-aged body. THE LEADER OF THE BAND BY GENIE GABRIEL

On stage, band leader Zach Zacata controls the emotions
of thousands of fans, but he can't control his middle-aged body. When he has a
heart attack, best friend and sometime lover Lauren Westover provides a place
where Zach can heal. And Zach realizes he has one more chance to win Lauren's
love--if a killer doesn't get to them first.

EXCERPT

Staring
at the woman in the mirror, Lauren slowly pushed the gray wig off her head. Her
naturally blonde hair lay matted forlornly against one side of her head. As she
turned her head, a white bandage became obvious, framed by a semi-circle of
close-cropped stubble around her ear where waves of golden hair used to flow.

I could have lost my life instead of my hair,
she reassured herself. Still, a spiral of panic threaded through Lauren’s
belly.

Sometimes
Lauren disparaged her beauty, especially when lechers with insulting hands
expected free access to her body. However, she also knew her physical appearance
garnered many opportunities a plain woman never enjoyed.

Now,
hidden out in a retirement center and disguised as an old woman, no one had
spared a second glance at her. Hadn't she wanted to be respected for something
that didn't depend on good looks?

A
commotion at the door startled Lauren away from her own musings. Zach slipped
inside and slammed the door shut behind him. Then he leaned against it, gulping
deep breaths of air. His silver-streaked wig hung precariously over one ear;
his satin smoking jacket was missing the belt that knotted it jauntily around
his middle when she left him less than fifteen minutes ago.

He
slid the lock into place and limped toward Lauren. “Whoever said women lose
their libido in old age never visited this place.”

He
flung the wig on the bed for the cat to play with and sat beside Lauren on the
vanity bench. “How are you doing?”

Lauren
shrugged. “Have the police found any sign of Matt [my son]?”

Zach’s
fingers tiptoed across the bare skin at the back of Lauren’s neck. “Nothing
yet. Johnny is spending most of his off-duty time shaking up the homeless
hangouts. But they’re a tight-lipped bunch. Don’t talk to cops much.”

Her
shiver this time wasn’t from fear for Matt but the trail of Zach's kisses
across the base of her neck. Funny how being in a place with older people had
eased Zach’s mind about aging. These men and women hadn’t given up on life when
their youth faded. They still indulged their passions and their dreams. They
spoke their minds and pursued what they wanted without regard to what others
thought.

They
were free in so many ways from the restraints and criticisms of the world. Free
from their own unrealistic expectations, yet at peace with taking risks and
trying new experiences.

Why
had Zach feared growing old? "Will you make love with me?”

Lauren turned and stared at Zach. Disbelief, humor, interest, and
eagerness flickered in her eyes before she placed her hand in Zach’s.